National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2009
WILLIMANTIC, CT, April 9, 2009– Windham Hospital and VNA East, Inc. along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2009 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). As participating organizations, Windham Hospital and VNA East are providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with CT state laws.
Specifically, on April 16, from 10am to 2pm, Windham Hospital and VNA East, Inc. are welcoming the public to visit an informational display in the Hospital’s atrium where staff members from both agencies will be available to provide free information about advance care planning and advance directive forms.
“As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Carolyn Trantalis, VP of Patient Care at Windham Hospital. “Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient. And healthcare providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”
For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.
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